Here Are the 15 Senators Who Voted to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Conducting Warrantless Raids on America's Farmers (Not One of Them is a Democrat)

Earlier today an amendment proposed by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) that would have prevented Food and Drug Administration agents from carrying guns and from raiding farms without warrants, was voted down on the Senate floor by 78 senators. These 15 senators, meanwhile, supported the amendment by voting against tabling it. Not a single one is a Democrat:

Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)

John Boozman (R-AR)

Tom Coburn (R-OK)

John Cornyn (R-TX)

Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Jim DeMint (R-SC)

Mike Johanns (R-NE)

Ron Johnson (R-WI)

Mike Lee (R-UT)

Rand Paul (R-KY)

Jim Risch (R-ID)

John Thune (R-SD)

Pat Toomey (R-PA)

David Vitter (R-LA)

Roger Wicker (R-MS)

Comments

[Hell's Librarian]

I am shocked... SHOCKED!! That there are no MD senators in that list, even Repubs.

[Almanian's Evil Twin]

My reaction as well re: MI

Fuck Michigan. My state is gone...

/Pretenders

[Father Jack]

Feck this worthless shell of a once great and proud nation and feck the twats who brought her here.

[JW]

I just can't believe that the flowering beauty known as Babs didn't vote for this.

My whole world is upside-down now.

[Hyperion]

Haven't lived in Maryland for long, huh? Wait... there are R congressmen from MD? Yes, I know that technically there are 2... I think that is right, they are just RINOs, so WTF?

[Hell's Librarian]

Should I have used the /sarc tag?

I have lived in MD for 40 years or so.

[Hyperion]

I am so sorry dude, my 4 years has been... actually I like Maryland a lot, I hate our politicians and stupid voter base, but still like it here.

[Robert]

Whaddya mean, no MD senators? Rand Paul's a MD.

[CBDenver]

Rand Paul is a Senator from Kentucky

[CBDenver]

The two MD senators are both Democrats

[Episiarch]

It's depressing that there were only 15. If it were 50 to 40 or something, at least that would posit some hope.

[NoVAHockey]

I wonder how many of the 15 are "real" votes. Once you know it's going down, you can vote in favor safely.

[Joe M]

No, this reads like a who's who of the best GOP Senators, for the most part.

[John]

But voting for this doesn't really buy you much. And it opens you up for the "he loves criminals and hates cops" line of attack. So I think they were all real.

[NoVAHockey]

i think i'm being overly cynical. also -- i answered your hound question a few threads ago.

[John]

Thanks. I bet she is beautiful. And you really have to keep any kind of a hound on a short leash. They get on a sent and there is no stopping them. You should join a coon hunting club and let her go out and roam a bit.

[Scarcity]

racist

[some guy]

Hopefully this bill will come up again next year so we can have an objective measure of which direction the Senate moved. (Left, Right or Sane)

[Libertarian]

As has been said in these comment threads many times: We're doomed. Doooooooooooooooooooomed!

[Rich]

"Drop that raw milk or the dog buys the farm!"

[some guy]

The things those poor farmers put up with in exchange for their ag subsidies...

[Aresen]

I noted that there were a lot of agricultural states there, so that could explain some of the votes.

[Joe M]

So could we basically call this the Senate Sanity Caucus?

[some guy]

Beat me to it, Joe. This bill should have been a no-brainer.

[Res Publica Americana]

... to a legislature occupied generally by men of positive moral quality, which the Congress of the United States is not, unfortunately.

[Stormy Dragon]

You can't fool me! There ain't no Sanity Claus!

[Mainer2]

I live in NH now (despite the handle), and everytime Kelly Ayotte (former prosecutor) pisses me off, she'll turn around and do something like this. It's a real love/hate relationship we have.

Jeanne Shaheen OTOH...it's all hate.

[Peter L]

This seems to be encouraging given the fact that Ayotte has been mentioned as a possible VP for Romney (although, I have to admit it would be strange for him to pick another New Englander as a running mate).

Mainer2, being from NH, could you give any more insight into her record? What kinds of stuff has fueled that love/hate relationship?

[Mainer2]

She's a hardcore drug warrior. Adamantly opposed to even Medical marijuana.

[Res Publica Americana]

A hardcore Free Stater uber-libertarian type (the very deontological breed) would have been better.

[Zeb]

Most of my (mainly negative) opinion of Ayotte comes form her record as attorney general as well. If she keeps doing things like this, she may redeem herself a bit. Still no chance I'll ever vote for her.
She's a hardcore drug warrior, actively opposed the repeal of the death penalty and thinks laws need to "send the right message".

[Libertarian]

Strange - I would have thought those "libertarian" westerners would have leaned a lot farther on this one. No AK senators? No MT? No WY?

[Sudden]

At least there's Idaho.

[cw]

MT is practically run by Democrats now. Go figure.

[RBS]

At least one of mine voted for it. (DeMint)

[John]

Even I am shocked and depressed there isn't a single Dem on the list.

[Peter L]

Dems seem to think the government should have more power. Also, remember how many dems try to explain that the second admendment only applies to government officials?

[Res Publica Americana]

The First applies only to Mother Jones and MSNBC, and we done got the National Guard to satisfy the Second. What else do you want, you racist insurrectionist????

[Drake]

They love the idea of bureaucrats with guns bullying farmers.

[califernian]

^This. They can't get enough of watching the little guy get stomped on by the state.

"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face ? forever."

As always, Orwell was correct.

[sage]

I think they're scared to attach their name to the son of that kook Ron Paul.

[Scotticus Finch]

Rand couldn't even get Mitch McConnell on board? That carpool must be icy in the mornings.

[Scarcity]

Not too surprising given McConnell was actively against Rand in Rand's primary.

[Scarcity]

Meant to include: I doubt before today that the carpool included picking up each other's favorites from Starbucks.

[Old Mexican]

Not a single one is a Democrat

Democrat: "An Amendment that would place a limit on government power? Where do I put my NO vote?"

I mean, really: what did you guys expect?

[Proprietist]

Actually, I'm still surprised. Many of the hardcore liberals and progressives I know think it's bad that even police have guns. And many are pro-organic/natural foods (things like raw milk). And many like when natural foods (like prune juice) can claim medical benefits (see also: nearest health foods store).

I can't imagine very many of them defending armed government workers raiding a farm selling raw milk with guns, or supporting a ban on marketing scientifically-shown health benefits of prune juice.

Contrary to popular belief, most progressives don't support infinite government (or at not least infinite police state).

[Tulpa the White]

I think you're talking about progressives, not TeamD senators.

[SIV]

Contrary to popular belief, most progressives don't support infinite government (or at not least infinite police state).

Stop deluding yourself.

[Zeb]

It's really true. They just can't manage to vote for anyone who shares that sentiment.

[Proprietist]

Hmm...we're on a site where many libertarians and near-libertarians feel the need to vote for and defend Team Red. I propose that they're no different than, say, John or Tulpa.

I suppose these anti-Police State hippies on the Left should vote for the party that loves war, corporatism, the drug war and the police state -- and also hates gays, immigrants and unions, instead of the party that also loves war, corporatism, the drug war and the police state but at least pretends to like gays and immigrants and loves the unions?

[John Thacker]

No, they should at least make noise and primary threats.

They can't even bring themselves to vote against infinite government in their own party primaries.

[John Thacker]

Republicans are pretty amazingly bad about supporting the Team regardless of principle, especially when there's a GOP President. But progressives seem even worse, especially these mythical progressives that don't like infinite governmental power.

One would think that they'd be able to elect at least one senator.

The GOP at least has to balance different wings of the party.

[Apparently a 'statist']

Why are warrantless raids a big deal, here? What we eat and drink is important.

Inspections are supposed to be without warning, so why are these raids such a big deal? Do they cost the farmers affected money? Do the FDA agents kick down doors and throw people against walls? Do they kick over cows or seize property?

Do you start crying at the idea of paying public employees to provide you a service that you think you can do without? Do you think the FDA is illegitimate even as a concept, because customers can just punish undertakings that feed them dangerous foodstuffs by voting with their wallets?

Rand Paul's amendment sounds pretty retarded.

[Mensan]

"Do they cost the farmers affected money?"

Yes.

"Do the FDA agents kick down doors and throw people against walls?"

Yes.

"Do they kick over cows or seize property?"

Yes.

And, yes, your handle is correct.

[CBDenver]

Apparently you don't undersand the idea of a warrent. It is a means to demonstrate probably cause of a crime. That is the protection needed in a free society against government overreach. The warrent can be kept secret until it is served,thus allieviating your concern about the need for "inspections without warning". I think your understanding about the whole idea of freedom is a bit lacking.

[Suthenboy]

*YAWN*

Try harder.

[Suthenboy]

that reply was aimed at 'apparently a statist'

[Proprietist]

I mean other than Ron Paul and maybe Jeff Flake, for years the GOP had nobody else remotely libertarian in either house of Congress.

And there were progressive Democrats like Russ Feingold and Dennis Kucinich who voted against the Patriot Act, corporatism, pork, Congressional pay raises, War in Iraq, etc. Feingold also introduced legislation to censure Bush for illegal wiretapping.

While they support universal healthcare, campaign finance reform and some gun control, it wasn't like Feingold or Kucinich were infinite statists.

Of course, when the Democrats took control of everything, these guys fell out of favor for people that will wield the full power of the state.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Shouldn't vote for parties at all. Should vote for good candidates, when you find them, and not develop any party loyalty as a result.

[cw]

This might show that those kind of liberals don't actually have as much sway over Team Blue as we may think.

Then again, some people's rights being violated by the government seem of secondary concern to the average progressive: Spending comes first.

[Robert]

This is what Mort Sahl meant decades ago by saying there are no liberals any more only social democrats. I didn't know what he meant at the time.

I was skeptical maybe 15-20 yrs. ago when David Nolan and Jim Ostrowski said that "liberals" (they also said this of "conservatives"; more on that later) prioritized their authoritarian goals over their libertarian ones, but that does seem to be the case, and validated Mort Sahl's earlier observ'n.

Harry Levine, confining his remarks to drug policy around that same time, said more or less the same thing in that the programatics of the "left" allowed that once we had achieved socialism, then people would be able to handle their choice of drugs, but not until then.

It does seem that the great bulk of interest on the "left" is on authority first, freedoms 2nd -- and since we're always operating at the margin in between, they never get around to pushing the freedoms, because there's a more important struggle on their plate.

As to the "right", the situation at least in the USA doesn't seem so bad. It's gotten worse even there since the Terror, but it does look like "right" activists give some liberties att'n equal to the other things on their agenda.

[califernian]

"authority first, freedoms NEVER "

Fixed that for you.

[John C. Randolph]

Contrary to popular belief, most progressives don't support infinite government

"Progressives" are totalitarians. Don't kid yourself.

-jcr

[Emmerson Biggins]

Ya that too.

[Proprietist]

Well, I used to be pretty progressive until I learned more about basic market economics and the law of unintended consequences. I would have voted for Nader in 2000 had I been old enough to vote. It didn't seem like a very big jump for me to become a libertarian - it merely requires realizing that government can't create progress like markets can, and in fact, government impedes progress.

Going to college at essentially a Marxist hippie commune during the Bush Administration, I didn't feel like much of a political outcast considering the rampant anti-government sentiments at the time. I'm sure it would be very different if I'd still been in school during the Obama years.

[Suellington]

I could say most of the same things. I actually voted for Nader though. I could not easily forget Gore and the PMRC.

[GroundTruth]

"Contrary to popular belief, most progressives don't support infinite government (or at not least infinite police state)."

Then they are fools, because that infinite government is both needed to achieve, and the result of, their desires.

[Groovus Maximus]

HEY RIGGS! There is no Sen. Jim Coburn in OK. It's either Tom Coburn or Jim Inhofe. Not a scary chimeric offspring of the two. The only thing you got correct is the "R" and the state.

Once again, Editor FAIL!

[JC]

Logged in just to say that and you beat me to it. Oh well...

Anyway, I'm from Nebraska and it's good to see Johanns do something useful for once.

[Groovus Maximus]

OK here. I sure as shit better know who my senators are.

[Pro Libertate]

Pro-gun, pro-stone burner.

[Mensan]

No wonder you seem grouchy most of the time. When I got my orders to leave Fort Sill,I swore that I would never go back to OK.

[Jesus H. Christ]

Can we send these 15 some candy or something? Just a pat on the back for making the correct choice this once?

[MP]

I don't understand the D surprise. The advertising portion of the amendment was an obvious non-starter for Team . The armed agents thing is just a side note.

[Apple]

I voted for one of those guys.

[Almanian's Evil Twin]

THEN YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM, MAN!!!

/anarchist

[Tulpa the White]

I wrote in Rand Paul for some obscure office where the incumbent was running unopposed in PA. Plus Toomey, of course.

[CE]

Hey, wait a minute.... doesn't the 4th Amendment already stop armed federal agents from any sort of warrantless raid? And aren't the only federal crimes piracy, counterfeiting and treason?

[Almanian's Evil Twin]

COMMERCE CLAUSE! Looms large.

[Res Publica Americana]

1) Children.
2) Roads.
3) Elderly people.

Your argument has been soundly defeated. Please report to the Department of Justice for extermination.

[GroundTruth]

Res... succinct, cynical and accurate.

[Zeb]

Regulatory inspections don't require warrants. I'm not sure why they require thugs with guns.

[John Thacker]

Actually, some regulatory inspections can be held to require warrants, if I recall correctly. (Ah yes, Camara v. Municipal Court of the City and County of San Francisco and See v. City of Seattle.)

[Joe M]

I'm pleased Cornyn voted for this, as he's shaky at best most of the time. My other Senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison, failed, but she's about to retire, and hopefully will be replaced with the far superior Ted Cruz, so there's hope yet.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Cruz is getting his ass kicked, isn't he?

I'd like to know if there is any differentiation on this between Dewhurst and Cruz.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Actually it looks like Dewhurst won't get the majority needed to prevent a run-off. I'll be voting for Glen Addison but vote for anybody but Dewhurst is a vote for a runoff between him an Cruz. I'm not sure yet if Cruz is good enough for me to vote for him in the runoff. One thing is for sure is that Dewhurst is terrible.

[Joe M]

The Paul boys endorsed him, and that's good enough for me, since I'll already be voting in the primary anyway. The latest poll had Dewhurst up 46-29 over Cruz, so it'll be close. Still, Rick Santorum, of all people, just endorsed Cruz today, so that could give him a late boost.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Santorum? Crap. That counteracts any Paul endorsement. Now I'm going to have to actually go research the dude. I was much happier when I didn't know that.

[Joe M]

I hope you already knew about the Palin endorsement. Of course, Palin endorsed Rand Paul two year ago.

[Emmerson Biggins]

I didn't. But I don't consider that as a negative, I just don't consider it a positive.

After some googling, I think you are right; Glenn Addison looks like the best choice. Esp, considering all the runoff circumstances. Thx for the pointer.

[T]

I'm crossing my fingers for the run-off between Dewhurst and Cruz, because Cruz wins that one. Right now the not-Dewhurst vote is split, but if it comes down to a runoff, they'll unite behind Cruz. Dewhurst pissed a lot of people off the last two legeislative sessions.

[Joe M]

I think you're right on that. And Cruz has all the momentum with all the endorsements and groups supporting him. Dewhurst has, what, Perry? People are sick of Perry.

[Jesus H. Christ]

I'm in CA. The stupid runs deep, here. We've got two of the top ten worst senators of the bunch. Maybe top five.

[Public Citizzen]

Shorten it to top three with Harry Reid [from nearby Searchlight, Nevada] and you have your list.

[Jesus H. Christ]

Funny. Reid was the other DC nightmare I was thinking of. I figured there had to be more like him and the two from CA, so I gave it a fudge factor. Top three is probably right.

[Ted S.]

Ahem. I've got *uck Schumer for one of my Senators.

[Drake]

And his sock-puppet with tits as the other.

[Ben the Duck]

(Not One of Them is a Democrat)

Slaver-statists, refusing to lrssen the terrible, crushing power of the state even so much as an iota? Imagine my complete and utter lack of shock.

[Ben the Duck]

"lrssen" = lessen

[Public Citizzen]

Well I guess we know who made the first cut and who is still on the "do not vote for" list.
Why anybody with two functioning brain cells would permit anybody working for the Food and Drug Administration to carry a weapon while in the performance of their duties is totally beyond my comprehension.
The best we can hope for is that these morons will go "Dodge City" on each other. Next best case is multiple "cleaning accidents".

[Tulpa the White]

Why does Pat Toomey hate Pasteurization?

[Brian from Texas]

I went to see Senator Paul at the Tea Party Express rally in Austin a few weeks ago. He mentioned how there are nearly 40 armed Federal level agencies in America today. He singled out the FDA especially. As far as I'm concerned the US Marshals and the Secret Service should be the only legally recognized Federal level law enforcement agencies. All other armed agencies, FBI included, truly serve no other purpose than to persecute the American people.

[Apparently a 'statist']

I'm with him on removing their armaments. But the idea of just removing the FDA and the EPA is ludicrous. Average people don't have the time to monitor all businesses and undertakings on their own - it's a physical fact. The whole "voting with your wallet" approach to punishing corporations and businesses isn't risk-free.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

The whole "voting with your wallet" approach to punishing corporations and businesses isn't risk-free

An enormous Federal apparatus has not made life risk-free either. It is naive to think any government, bureaucrat, or regulation is going to protect you from harm. The only one who can do that is you. You should look out for your own self-interest. If you can't do that, then you are a hopeless case.

[JimDee]

Imagine if this bill had passed? We'd all be attacked by farmers TOMORROW. Gotta keep those uppity farmers in line and let them know who's boss.

You all are just afraid of guns. Admit it.

[Voros McCracken]

A little known fact: Children of the Corn was a documentary.

[Hyperion]

If the farmers were smart, like the ones here in Murland, they would have already sold off all of their land for zillions to condo developers. They would be the new aristrocrats with their sprawling estates and billions in their bank accounts, looking down at the peasants in their McCondos.

[Hyperion]

All Republicans? Damn you, you fascists Dems, I have tried my best to defend you, saying that you are no worse that the Republicans. I see are determined to prove me wrong, you swine.

[Hyperion]

Put all of the nay sayers on a list. A new list... a list of the people. So that we may cast our scorn upon them, and they shall not escape our wrath...

[buntpunt]

Those dudes jsut do not seem to have a clue.

http://www.Privacy-Geeks.tk

[John C. Randolph]

I'm not at all surprised that Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein failed to defend the public from that pack of raging bureaucrats. I've never known either of them to vote on the right side of any civil rights issue in their entire careers of public disservice.

-jcr

[Robert]

Let's try to look at this from the other POV. FDA has procedures in place for deciding what health claims for foods will be allowed -- based on unbiased science from gov't-appointed advisors, so what's the problem? Why allow an interested party, the purveyor of the product itself, to decide an issue such as this, rather than an unbiased one?

As to the guns, FDA agents may from time to time run into some hotheads. Why shouldn't they have a sidearm for protection?

[shropster]

If your comment was not satire, then I can assum that you will be on the wrong side of the barricades when shtf. Be sure to wear red clothing.

[CBDenver]

"FDA has procedures in place for deciding what health claims for foods will be allowed" -- what are you talking about? The FDA is going to storm a farm with guns because some farmer claims their home-grown vegatables are healthy? And don't even get me started on "unbiased science from gov't appointed advisors".

[kwais]

Liberty candidates across the country
http://www.dailypaul.com/18555.....dates-2012

[shropster]

I am proud and pleased that both Idaho senators voted for Rand Paul's bill.

[Cilia]

That headline needs a "not" in it between the words "to" and "stop".

It doesn't make sense as written.

[Joe M]

No, these are the only ones who voted "to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Conducting Warrantless Raids on America's Farmers".

All the others voted to let armed FDA agents continue to be armed and conduct warrantless raids.

[MattCollins]

Can we get a link to the official roll call vote on the Senate website for Rand's FDA amendment?

[MattCollins]

Here is the actual link:

http://www.senate.gov/legislat.....vote=00107

[ThatSkepticGuy]

You mean the Left Wing fully favors leigslature that allows for the decimation of rights and privacy in favor of Animal Rights cultism and propaganda?! SHOCKING!

[PatriotKat]

IF YOU READ THIS ARTICLE according to CONGRESSIONAL RECORD the HEADLINE is WRONG - the amendment passed but the 15 Senators voting against it including the original author Rand Paul voted against it because the language had been weakened ... the article will confuse you as it did me as doesn't match Congressional Record. Click the link to the ROLL CALL the amendment passed.

[Sterling Archer]

Glad to see Toomey voted the right way on this. Not at all surprised to see that Casey didn't.

[Suthenboy]

I am gld to see David Vitter is on the list.
Fuck mary landrieu.